Visualizing state surveillance

In the post-digital Snowden era, people are increasingly worried about state surveillance of telecommunication networks. This map shows if and how surveillance ordered by German state court orders has increased in the years 2008 - 2013. The data was derived from an annual public report by the German Federal Office of Justice.

Details

Challenge

Where has state surveillance of telecommunication networks increased in recent years? And which channels of communication are in focus of surveillance?

Production

Based on data by the German Federal Office of Justice, our visualization shows percentage change in governmental surveillance for internet, mobile and telephone communication in the German federal states in the years 2008 to 2013.
The visualization shows a general increase of mobile phone wiretaps as well as an increase in landline surveillance in Eastern states and in Bavaria. Internet surveillance has changed only marginally in most of the German states, with the exception of a major increase in Hessen, which hosts the worlds largest internet node DE-CIX in Frankfurt am Main.